Forest And Land Fires In The Rattan Muara Enim River Act On Residents' Settlements

JAKARTA - The Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of South Sumatra Province said forest and land fires (karhutla) in Suka Maju Village, Sungai Rotan District, Muara Enim expanded to lead to residential areas.

"From the 10th day of forest and land fires report in Suka Maju Village, the left sector of the fire can be controlled but still schemed. The right sector leads to residential areas," said Head of the Emergency Management Division of the South Sumatra BPBD Sudirman, Antara, Sunday, September 9.

He explained that the fire that leads to residential areas can be controlled because of its easier access and close water sources.

"The fire is controllable but still schemed and for now the fire is still burning," he explained.

In dealing with forest and land fires, personnel in the field come from the TRC BPBD of the Rotan River Command Post together with the BPBD Main Command Post TRC, Manggala Agni, Damkar, Koramil and village governments.

"The community is also helping efforts to extinguish forest and land fires. The blackout is still continuing today, so that the fire does not spread to residential areas," he said.

He said that during the blackout at the location, the burned area had reached 54 hectares. Extinguishing efforts at the location were quite difficult because the burning vegetation land was peat forest.

The area of forest and land fires in Suka Maju Village did not increase due to the blackout being carried out by air. Helicopters do twice or as many as 79 water bombings to extinguish the area.

"Helicopters were also deployed to help extinguish the fire so that it would not spread to residents' homes. Helicopters carried 79 water bombings or as many as 316 thousand liters of water were poured into the burning locations," said Sudirman.